Carry You Home
by TheMightyKoosh
Summary: After overhearing and ultimatum from the elders, Naruto flees the village. Character Death.


Description - After overhearing and ultimatum from the elders, Naruto flees the village. Character Death.

I vowed I would never right anything like this XD but I just had to, or everytime I listened to the song my head would implode.

The song is 'Carry You Home' by James Blunt

Disclaimer - Don't own either Naruto or the song.

Enjoy

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**Carry You Home**

_Trouble is her only friend and he's back again_

_Makes her body older than it really is_

_And she said it's high time she went away_

_No ones got much to say in this town_

_Trouble is the only way is down, down, down._

"No!" Tsunade was outraged, the village elders were stood before her, and they had her backed in a tight corner. But she wasn't going out without a fight.

"Look, Tsunade." One said threateningly, stepping forwards, "Either you have him banished from Konoha, or we take the mantel of Hokage away from you, and banish him anyway."

The Godaime rubbed the side of her head tiredly. _Gotta tread carefully, one false step and I'm screwed. _

"What'd the kid ever do to you?" she asked.

"He's alive, that's what. We tolerated him so long as there was a chance that he would bring the Uchiha back, but it's obvious that this is not going to happen, and our patience has worn thin." Tsunade was about to blow her top at them, but the spokesman cut her off, "Think about it, you have a week. If the Kyuubi brat isn't gone by then, then we will see to it that he is…disposed of."

And with that as the ultimatum, the elders swirled out of the Hokage's office.

_As s__trong as you were_

_Tender you go_

_I'm watching you breathing for the last time_

_A song for your heart_

_But when it is quiet_

_I know what it means and I'll carry you home._

_I'll carry you home._

Naruto had been about to knock on the door to Tsunade's office, when he heard heated voices from inside. It was the village elders. Straining his ears, he could just about make out some of the words drifting through the thick wood.

"_Uzumaki has got to go, and you have to be the one to banish him."_

Naruto gasped and clenched his fists as the pieces fell into place. By the sounds of it, they were finished, so before the elders could accuse him of eavesdropping, he had leaped from a nearby window, landing in the dusty street below, before sprinting back to his flat.

Once in the confines of his bedroom, he let out a strangled scream, and angrily kicked his bed, before sinking down the wall, angry tears rolling down his cheeks.

There was a knock at the door, and he called out that it was open, and to come straight in. After a pause, Sakura tentatively pushed open his bedroom door, and taking in his slumped frame, and tear streaked face, she ran over to his spot by the wall.

_If she had wings she would fly away_

_And another day God will give her some_

_Trouble is the only way is down, down, down._

"You okay, Naruto?" she asked, pulling him into her arms.

He sighed heavily before nodding, "I'm weary Sakura, so, so weary."

"I don't know what you mean Naruto."

"I'm just fed up with all, Sakura." He whispered, but instantly regretted it when he could see how worried the kunoichi was.

"What happened?" she asked, whispering just as quietly as he had.

"Nothing, Sakura, it's just me wallowing in teenage angst." And he smiled brightly at her, all previous grief gone.

After awhile, and much assurance from Naruto that he was fine, Sakura left. Sighing with relief, he closed the door behind her, and found his worn backpack. Hurriedly, he filled it with foods that needed little preparing, but would last long, a supply of kunai and shuriken, and bottles of water that could easily be refilled.

He was about to open the window, when a though occurred to him. Finding some paper, he scrawled a quick not on it.

**Tsunade, it's not your fault. You're an amazing Hokage, and I couldn't let Konoha loose you. To anyone that this applies too, I love you all. Naruto.**

And with one sad look around the flat that he had called home for most of his life, he fled the village that he had loved.

_As s__trong as you were_

_Tender you go_

_I'm watching you breathing for the last time_

_A song for your heart_

_But when it is quiet_

_I know what it means and I'll carry you home._

_I'll carry you home._

Naruto hadn't gotten far from Konoha, about an hour away, before things started going wrong. It started with him blindly running into a piece of taught wire, releasing it with a twang, and, he was sure, triggering some kind system that was sure to alert whoever had put it there of his presence.

Things had only gone downhill from there.

Ten minutes on, and a kunai whistled past his ear, thudding to a stop in a tree, just above his right shoulder. Looking around there was nobody there. Turning back around, he took a small step, and heard malicious chuckling beside him. Swinging around, he came face to face with three people, garbed in black cloaks embroidered with the insignia of a cloud. Not a good sign. The rest of Akatsuki materialised out of the trees, silently appearing from the shadows.

It didn't take long for the action to kick off. As ten kunai were thrown simultaneously, he jumped up through the branches of the trees, straight into an explosive bird. He was blown to the forest floor, shrapnel like pieces of clay embedded in his skin, already tearing through the material of his signature orange jumpsuit. Fortunately, Kyuubi didn't hesitate to heal his wounds, and he was able to perform Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, creating ten clones.

Each clone attacked a member, but no time had passed before he heard the poof of the replicas being dispelled, having caused no damage to his attackers. More kunai were thrown, and this time several found their mark, embedding themselves in Naruto. There was another explosion, and in the confusion, Itachi broke off of the ring they had made around the blond, and positioned himself before the boy.

Before he had even realised the danger of what he was doing, Naruto had looked into the dark eyes of his first friend's brother. The Mangekyo Sharingan was spinning wildly, and Naruto was thrown into the dangerous world of illusion.

Itachi kept him there for a mere second, but upon ending the attack, it was enough to leave Naruto gasping on his knees, and before he had time to react, he had pulled out a katana, plunging it into Naruto's chest, through the scar Sasuke's chidori had left. He twisted the sword left and right, up and down, before wrenching it out.

Once again, Akatsuki melted into the shadows, leaving Naruto to fall forwards in a puddle of his own blood.

_And they're all born pretty _

_In New York City tonight_

_And someone's little girl_

_Was taken from the world tonight_

_Under the Stars and Stripes._

Sasuke was speeding through the forest, trees whizzing past him in a blur. He had been notified of a disturbance not far from his hide out, and was on his way to see what it was. When he reached the suspected clearing, his attention was instantly drawn to a bundle in the middle.

When he reached it, he saw that it was a person, hunched forwards, chest resting on their knees. Whatever colour their jacket had been, it was now crimson, as there was a wound that pierced right through from their chest to their back. He could see that it was fatal.

Rolling the hunched figure forwards, he gasped. Sasuke would recognise those whisker marked cheeks anywhere.

"Naruto?" he whispered, not wanting to believe what he saw. Eyelids cracked open to reveal still bright cerulean eyes.

The trembling figure took a deep, bubbling breath, and a trickle of blood ran down his lips. "Sas…s'ke?" he asked, trying to heave himself into a sitting position. But the Uchiha lowered him back down, hushing his stuttered attempts at speech, holding the blond head in his lap, gently stroking the silky tresses.

He was suddenly very afraid that the end had come for his childhood friend.

Sasuke suddenly became aware of Naruto's feeble attempts at tugging his shirt, trying to get his attention. Tenderly, he looked down.

"I want…to see…Konoha…one last time." He whispered, a tear making its way down his cheek. His broken attempts at speech were so quiet Sasuke had to strain to hear them, but the meaning was clear. Naruto was dyeing, and he knew it.

"You're going to be okay, Naruto." He replied.

The boy, who's only fault was being too kind, smiled sadly, "It's okay S'ke…I know my time…has come."

And the last of Uchiha's found it strangely ironic, that the friend he had betrayed so badly should be the one to comfort him, as he lay in his arms dyeing.

_As strong as you were_

_Tender you go_

_I'm watching you breathing for the last time_

_A song for your heart_

_But when it is quiet_

_I know what it means and I'll carry you home._

_I'll carry you home_

After that, Sasuke had bundled Naruto into his arms, and headed in the direction he knew Konoha to lay. He was torn about what to do. He was loath to return to Konoha, for he knew that once he set foot anywhere within a five mile radius of the village, he would not be able to leave, and he did not want to return to his childhood home.

But nor could he deny Naruto his last wish. And although a part of him knew that the blond's words were true, a part of him hoped that the Legendary Tsunade would be able to heal the boy in his arms that was drifting in and out of consciousness.

As his steps brought him closer to the village boundaries, Sasuke could feel Naruto's heartbeat getting weaker, his breathing more ragged and strained, each breath taking longer to be drawn than the last.

_As strong as you were_

_Tender you go_

_I'm watching you breathing for the last time_

_A song for your heart_

_But when it is quiet_

_I know what it means and I'll carry you home._

_I'll carry you home_

As he stepped through the gates of Konoha, the rising sun had just hit the stone faces of previous Hokage's, their heads illuminated by a radiant glow.

As his foot thudded over the threshold, Naruto opened his eyes one last time, and Sasuke knew that he saw the same beautiful sight that he did.

He felt his childhood friend take a shuddering breath, and then, he was still. Sasuke stumbled and fell to his knees, holding the blonds' body closer to his chest. And looking down at Naruto's pale face, he knew, although he wished it wasn't true, that Naruto had gone.

_I'll carry you home._

So, what did you think? I'm sorry if it was too depressing :S

Reviews would be great, to, you know, give me feedback and stuff, 'cause it really helps, but don't feel obliged.

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